Adjei, a Ghanaian Student in China: Prefer Chinese Medicine and Diligently Practice Acupuncture

Locate the acupoint, press the hand, pierce and twist, lift and insert... At Binzhou Medical University in Yantai, Shandong Province, Adjei, a clinical medicine student from Ghana, Africa, holds a small silver needle to practice acupuncture over and over again. He has been familiar with this set of movements.

Adjei acupunctures a patient. Photo by Qu Zhengyang

"Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners could cure diseases with just a few silver needles, so wonderful." Adjei praised acupuncture as "incredible" at the beginning, but with continuous study and cases, he gradually believed in acupuncture, and mastered acupuncture points and methods through learning and practice.

Adjei often practices on dummies and fake skin, and more often on his own body. When skilled, he seized the opportunity to cure slight illness for people around, gaining certain fame among classmates.

"Traditional Chinese Medicine emphasizes the holistic concept and focuses on balancing among various aspects of the body." Adjei sees Traditional Chinese Medicine as a profound and extensive summary of ancient Chinese medical theory and practice.

Adjei made great efforts to study acupuncture methods and gradually masters acupoints and methods. Photo by Qu Zhengyang

In 2019, Adjei was admitted to Binzhou Medical University to start his career as a doctor, determined to help his fellow countrymen with advanced medicine. Among clinical medicine courses, traditional Chinese medicine attracted him.

As he delved into his studies, Adjei realized that his existing knowledge of the Chinese language could not meet his need to learn traditional Chinese medicine. Therefore, he continued to hone his Chinese proficiency and passed the HSK Level 4 test. Pinyin, pronunciation, and grammar all seriously hinder his study. While studying, he visits various scenic spots in China to deepen his understanding of words and phrases.

Good command of traditional Chinese medicine requires knowledge of classical Chinese literature. Immersed in the library, Adjei diligently studies ancient Chinese works and classics. At first, he relied on rote memorization, but later he tried to decipher the meaning beneath. Upon reading Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon, he was confused by the statement: "Treat disease or turmoil in a preventive manner, rather than treat the existing one." At first, he didn't understand the meaning of 'existing' and 'preventive'. However, after referring to materials, he eventually understood that the entire sentence was telling people to prevent diseases before they occur, rather than to wait until they are critically ill before seeking medical treatment everywhere.

Adjei practices calligraphy with his classmates. Photo by the interviewee

While studying ancient Chinese literature, he was fascinated with Chinese ancient poetry. He could understand the apparent meaning of "O peak of peaks, how high it stands!", and feel the poet's admiration and praise for Mount Taishan.

"At first glance, I didn't understand the meaning of writings in classical Chinese, but through reading and researching repeatedly, I discovered the rich truths they contain." He often participates in various recitation competitions related to traditional Chinese culture and won the title of "Best International Reciter" at the 2021 Cross-lingual Chanting Assembly of Confucian Classics.

Adjei believes that traditional Chinese medicine has great potential in his hometown, and hopes to introduce it to Ghana. Photo by Qu Zhengyang

"Ghana also has ancient medicine, and local people prefer 'indigenous methods' to Western medicine." As his understanding of Chinese medicine and culture deepens, Adjei believes that traditional Chinese medicine has great potential in his hometown. Acupuncture and moxibustion, massage, scraping therapy and cupping therapy could produce the desired result quickly and cost less, which will be easily accepted. In addition, Ghana has a large number of small clinics conducive to promoting Chinese medicine.

It is reported that Binzhou Medical University where Adjei studies has trained a large number of foreign medical talents since its establishment. Many students from countries such as ROK, Pakistan, and Ghana have introduced traditional Chinese medicine to their hometowns.

(By Wang Jiaoni and Yang Funing)